Editing Economy of Niger (section)

====Transportation infrastructure====
{{Main|Transport in Niger}}
[[File:Highway to tahoua 2007 002.jpg|thumb|right|One of the roads leading to [[Tahoua]], central Niger]]
[[File:Niameyairport 2005 crop.JPG|thumb|right|View of Diori Hamani International Airport at Niamey]]

Transport is crucial to the economy and culture of this vast landlocked nation, with cities separated by huge uninhabited deserts, mountain ranges, and other natural features. Niger's transport system was little developed during the [[History of Niger|colonial period]] (1899–1960), relying upon animal transport, human transport, and limited river transport in the far south west and south east. No railways were constructed in the colonial period.
Construction of a network of paved roads linking major cities began after the independence reaching its heights during the uranium boom in the 1970s and 1980s. Primary or paved road systems are limited to bigger cities or connection between major cities. Road connections or networks in rural areas are mostly unpaved, all-weather laterite surfaces to grated dirt or sand plowed roads with various degrees of maintenance. In 2012, there was {{convert|19,675|km|mi}} of road network throughout Niger, of which {{convert|4,225|km|mi}} were paved.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} ''Annuaire statistique du Niger 2008– 2012 .'' [http://www.stat-niger.org/statistique/file/Annuaires_Statistiques/INS_2012/AS2008-2012TRANSPORTROUTIER.pdf  Transport routier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220202046/http://www.stat-niger.org/statistique/file/Annuaires_Statistiques/INS_2012/AS2008-2012TRANSPORTROUTIER.pdf |date=2018-12-20 }}</ref>

The Niger River, which crosses the southwestern part of the country, is unsuitable for river transport of any large scale, as it lacks depth for most of the year, and is broken by rapids at many spots. Camel caravan transport was historically important in the Sahara desert and [[Sahel]] regions which cover most of the north.

Air transport is mainly concentrated in Niamey. Niger's only [[international airport]] is [[Diori Hamani International Airport]], is located in the capital, Niamey. Other [[List of airports in Niger|airports in Niger]] include the [[Mano Dayak International Airport]] in Agadez city and [[Zinder Airport]] in [[Zinder, Niger|Zinder city]] but as of January 2015, they were not regularly serviced by any carriers.

In 2014, construction for the railway extension connecting Niamey (Niger) to Cotonou via Parakou (Benin) began and was expected to be completed by 2016. However, the project was still ongoing in 2018,<ref>Agence France-Presse (March 23, 2018). "Benin president taps China for controversial railway - dismissing bids by local and French companies". South China Morning Post.</ref> and no recent reports have been made as of 2022. It includes the construction of {{convert|574|km|mi}} new railway from [[Niamey]] to connect to the existing line in [[Parakou]] ([[Benin]]). Besides Niamey, the railway line will go through [[Dosso, Niger|Dosso city]] and [[Gaya, Niger|Gaya]].